Yin and Yang
by Lucky Owl
Summary: This is the life of Mesuko after her clan left her behind and the missions she goes on, as well as discovering who she is and how she is tied to a certain ninja by the will of the dead. OCXShikamaru
1. Strangers Like Me

This is the life of Mesuko after her clan left her behind and the missions she goes on, as well as discovering who she is and how she is tied to a certain ninja by the will of the dead.

I have made it my goal to name every chapter after a Disney song and have it still relate to the story :D

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters, but if it is a character or power not seenread in Naruto I do own it. I tend to add things from movies as well so I do not own those either.**

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><p>Strangers Like Me<p>

Something stirred in the Nara clans tranquil forest, the sun was only just beginning to set, the first row of velvet clouds dotted the skies.

"Shikamaru, come on. Something is disrupting the deer."

Shikamaru had only just recently healed from his mission to bring back Sasuke, the Hokage hadn't given any new missions to the members who went on that assignment. But something was about to happen, weather it was a mission or not.

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><p>The pair of them converged on a spot near the center of the forest, they hid in the trees and watched as several deer gathered in one area. At least thirty deer were surrounding a young girl who was <em>covered<em> in black tribal markings.

"One of Orochimaru's pawns!"Shikamaru spat angrily.

"Hold on son… we don't know what she's capable of, or if she's here alone. Let's think of a plan first."

Shikaku sprang from a tree landing by the girl a few feet away, far enough to either attack or defend. She jolted at his swift presence producing a small thick metal rod about the size of a soup can.

"Judging by the tools in that satchel you're carrying I'd say you were here to collect antlers. Your friends need healing?" he smirked.

"Grhh." She glared at him tensing her stance ready to fight at a moment's notice, and in only seconds the tattoos had faded and were now gone. She took a step back and there was a long silence. She swiftly took hold of an antler on one of the large bucks and glided onto its back which took off in the opposite direction giving way to speedy chase as the sun sunk lower behind the trees. Shikamaru sprinted in the trees as his father chased on the ground, the deer were fast but ninja were all the faster, catching up and passing was a simple task, the two of them landed ahead of her cutting the buck off and she lunged awkwardly forward. As they aimed to catch her but she spun in the air and her metal cylinder thinned and expanded using it to swing at them. They dodged quickly jumping in either direction and she ran off through the gap they made.

Her metal staff in hand as she sprinted out of the forest onto a roadway, the sun had fully set and the moon took its place in the sky providing light for her path. Her long red gypsy skirt lagged behind her viscously as she made her escape, but futile it was, Shikamaru was only steps behind her, she stopped abruptly impaling her staff into the ground and using her momentum to swing and knee him in the face, but he quickly ducked and she missed, wasting no time she attempted to pull the metal from the ground, seconds too late as strong hands pinned her to the ground her arms behind her back forcing her to her knees.

"Release me! I've done no wrong!"

"You'll be taken in for questioning." Shikaku said catching up to the scene he was prepared for using his shadow possession jutsu but it seemed it would not be needed. She struggled to get free wriggling her body but Shikamaru only held on tighter crossing her arms over her back harder and she screamed out in pain. "Shikamaru…" His father scorned.

"Sorry." He let go of one wrist and she was ready to run again but a quick hit in the right place on her neck and she was out of it.

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><p>As the stranger began to wake she could hear voices in the background, she groggily opened her eyes and looked as the two men from the forest stood by an authoritative looking woman, who was indeed scolding them.<p>

"She is not one of the sound nin that took Sasuke! She is of the Akusho clan." A small pig that was at the ground oinked as if it knew what the dark haired woman was talking about.

"Akusho? What are they doing here?" Shikaku asked

"The Spirits Festival is tomorrow at sundown…" The girl said, still lying on the hospital bed, it was quite comfy…

"Oh you're awake." The woman walked towards the bed, "My name is Shizune, I'm the Hokage's assistant and I'm here to apologize for the way these two have treated you. One of our own was recently taken from us by skilled ninja who bare similar markings to the ones they described you having. But you're clan has no history of markings like that and we have examined you for similar marks." There was a slight pause as everyone awkwardly shared glances. "Only I and another doctor did the examining."

"I know what I saw, she had them, _**those **_markings covered her body!" Shikamaru exclaimed but was soon hushed by his father.

"Don't embarrass the family Shikamaru." He dad said calmly. He gave him a look, the look, one that he understood perfectly, his father was secretly on his side.

"The contents of your bag have also been looked at, and I must ask… where you in the forest to collect antlers?" she said very cautiously, like walking on thin ice.

"Yes. I was." She answered calmly. "But I did not know that the forest and its deer were protected. I am sorry to have disturbed your evening gentleman." Shikaku gave a small bow acknowledging her apology.

"Does your clan need healing?" Shizune asked with surprise.

"Yes, many of us have fallen ill." She casted her eyes downward as shadow swallowed her face.

"They are always welcome at the clinic here in town, I thought that we explained that to the Majo."

"It's not that our Majo forbids us from coming… it is that our clan simply cannot trust your people." She paused briefly, as if she was gathering her words to help explain, "I know… ,as well as the Majo, that you and your leader are trustworthy, but the Lord Hokage cannot protect us from their insults and eyes. And should my people lash out, we would be ashamed…"

"Lord?" The three of them said in unison.

"Have you not heard the news?" Shizune asked solemnly.

"News?" The girl said ignorantly.

"Lord Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, has passed away the title of Hokage has been appointed to Lady Tsunade." The girl stood up suddenly

"Forgive me, I must excuse myself." She walked out of the room with quick grace like a fleeting memory. After she had left Shizune looked to the both of them wearily.

"It seems to me that the new generation of the Akusho clan is more forgiving than their elders."

"Why is the clan so untrustworthy?" Shikamaru asked.

"Because they have the same abilities as your clan, with the exception of one thing, they can make people kill themselves. Long ago before they became wanderers some of the family members killed an entire village." Shizune informed him sadly

"They made them all commit suicide, in a variety of manners if I remember correctly, and after that they destroyed their homes and fields, when help arrived all that remained were splinters of wood, rock, even metal." His dad said.

"Yes, they had found that many people had hanged themselves, others were found at the foot of a cliff and the bottom of rivers, drinking toxins… all of the deaths had signs pointed to mass suicide."

"It happened to two other villages, all just outside the first village, there were rumors that they would strike here next."

"Then the culprits were discovered by their clan and a large civil war broke out between them. In the end the accused were given to us but no one trusted them, so they built wagons and packed what they could carry and have been traveling ever since." Shizune ended.

"Why are they in charge of the festival?"

"That is their tradition, they have been doing the spirits festival for as long as there have been dead people, the Akusho clan is known for its very unique connection to the spirits, and the story goes that when the very first human died they touched a person of this world and told him that the day should be remembered forever. But you'll hear the story tomorrow night if you go."

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><p>"Majo!" She shouted, "Majo!" An older woman with graying black curly hair protruded from a wooden wagon, she was wearing a traditional long layered skirt and white shirt, but it was covered in a decorative poncho.<p>

"What is it child?"

"Majo, the Hokage, Lord Hiruzen is dead!" when she said this some of the other clan members stopped, things grew dangerously quiet… "We are no longer safe here, Majo."

"And what would you have us do, Mesuko?"

"Are you asking my advice Majo? Or is this another test?" Mesuko said in a very professional, serious, tone. The Majo didn't answer her, and after a moment to think the young girl looked her straight in the eye and said, "We should meet with this new Hokage and form a new truce. We must respect the spirits, and tomorrow night we must honor the dead, so we form a treaty tonight, or be there by the morning."

"Very good, but how can we make an appointment so late at night?"

"I will take a letter to them." She said dutifully.

"It is too late to go alone, please take Genzai with you."

"I understand…" she said quietly as an ounce of sadness soon washed over her.

She walked down the dirt road to another wagon in similar size and shape, drawing back the curtains there was a boy around her age with short hair and curly bangs that were always swept back. He was tall for his age and was a strong apprentice clan warrior. He bore a black tribal tattoo of an arrowhead on his left arm with wings on either side of it.

"Genzai, we have a mission." The boy looked up from a book he was reading and smiled at the girl devilishly.

"Is it just you and me this time?" He said smoothly.

"Yes." She smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Oooo a nice stroll in the moonlight?" He winked while walking down the steps of his wagon.

"Come, we have a letter to deliver." She chuckled.

"You're so serious, it's not like anybody will get scolded for a little play time." he drew out his 'play time'.

"Your play time and mine are on different schedules, and meanings."

"You know… you have such beautiful eyes." He smirked while looking at her.

"They're the same as yours genius, there just like the everyone's."

"Nah mine are more of a dark earthy gold. Yours are like a golden sunset."

"Are you truly that desperate?" she said playfully, "What about Uta, are you not, ya know, 'together' if that's what you wanna call it."

"She's being a bitch. Again!" he huffed throwing his hands in the air.

"Oh, please, what's new Genzai?"

"I know…" He pouted, they were almost to the front gates of the village.

"What made you pick her…" she asked softly, casting her eyes to the side.

"She… All the guys asked her, she just said yes to me." He told her in almost comforting words.

"I would have said yes…" Her words were even softer than the last ones, but the silence of the night made them clear as day. Genzai tensed as she said this, but his sworn commitment made him hold his tongue.

"It was…" he wanted to find something to say to help his guilt, but no words would help him in his time of need.

"Why didn't you ask me? You know that I love you, and I had thought you felt the same way Genzai." She had almost choked, but instead her voice only wavered.

"Mesuko we already talked about this…" he had a hidden pain in his eyes and heart, he did love her.

"No! You told me you won't talk about it so we didn't." She had become irritated with abandonment of the subject.

"Well… no one knows what you're like!" He said quickly.

"What I'm like! We have grown up together Genzai!"

"That's not what I mean! ... what I mean is… you've never practiced dancing or singing, not even music, you're only talent is speaking to the dead…" he said weakly.

"What?!" she stopped in the middle of the street and put her hands on her hips.

"Don't get me wrong now! You talk to those dead people better than anyone!" he tried to defend himself. "You know that my mother…" he said in a low serious tone, "she has expressed to me several times that she wants me to marry a dancer or singer… and she said you weren't good enough, and Uta is the best…"

"I know but you… You have broken a promise…"

"I-!..." he sighed, he quickly grabbed her, hugging her tightly. "I can't say anything… or do anything that would betray my honor…"

"What are you doing now then…" she asked on the verge of tears.

"People hug each other all the time…" she held him tighter, "You're trembling Mesuko." He whispered.

"I'm cold…" she lied.

"Come on… let's deliver the letter." He let her go and she felt alone without him, they walked in a lonesome silence until they reached the Hokage's office, a single light was still lit in the big red building.

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><p>"Shikamaru, come to the kitchen." He heard his dad say, "I've got something to show you."<p>

"What is it?" he asked seeing his dad spacing out at the wall.

"I'm going to teach you how to watch the forest…" he said simply

"What?"

"Just sit down, stop being a drag."

"Fine…" he steadily sat down in the seat opposite his father.

"You know that we are in charge of watching over the deer, as well as scouts for this part of the village."

"Yeah… and…?"

"I want you to look after the forest tonight."

"Huh?" he said jadedly

"Do I have to explain everything to you…"

"Don't be a drag dad and just tell me what you want me to do."

"I want you to take possession of a buck and look through the forest tonight."

"You want me to… what?" he said suddenly interested.

"It's pretty easy actually… just get into a comfortable position in your room and cast your shadow out to the nearest dear, using this technique requires little chakra to maintain, but you will feel everything that the deer will, just like our shadow possession jutsu. I'll teach you the hand signs, and from now on I want you to help protect our land."

"Are you teaching me this now because the Akusho clan is parked on our doorstep…"

"Yes… these are sensitive times for that clan, everyone in the fire country still bears a lot of hatred for them, they have a very dangerous ability but they're not brutes or ignorant, they're cautious intelligent people, and they work as a unit just as we do."

After their conversation he went to his room, sitting cross-legged on his bed he preformed the appropriate hand signs. He could feel an eerie pull in his chest as he fingers and toes went numb. A frozen wave washed over him until it reached his head, falling back on the mattress limply. He stood there, or thought he was, feeling light and airy, he felt as though he was walking in his own dream, before realizing that he had become a shadow and was glued to the ground.

He slipped under his door and walked through the house, his dad was still in the kitchen, drinking… slithering out of the house he ran in the moonlight, bending and growing over the hills under the light of waning crescent moon. He came upon a large buck and walked into the shadow, all at once the airy dream feeling washed away, he became a buck seeing through his eyes, touching the earth with its hooves, taking a few steps to become coordinated he began to walk through the forest.

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><p>After a time Shikamaru had come to the furthest part of their forest, it was a large dip in the ground that created a small valley before another hill, squatters would often sit here he heard, before a landslide would come and make the crook even smaller. At the very edge of the property he could see a faint light, the Akusho clan made their camp literally on their forest outskirts, he thought of going to investigate, but going into the camp outside the safety of the forest could be dangerous. His newfound expert ears picked up faint sets of footsteps. He promptly released the jutsu and woke up in his own body.<p>

He put his shoes on and ran back to the spot as fast as he could, the deer body he left behind had passed him, and briefly felt guilty for not returning him to the herd. He sat in a tree and waited for the people to come closer. As they neared him he could see a boy and a girl, since they were heading in the direction of the camp he knew that they belonged to the Akusho clan. They were not ninja but they did have special abilities, he knew they were strong so he would only stop them to ask questions as to why they were out so late.

'_It's not insulting to ask questions.'_ he thought. He stealthily jumped from his perch in the tree and landed softly behind them, the boy must've sensed his presence because he was the first to turn around, following the girl who he immediately recognized. "What are _**you**_ doing back here? I thought we made it clear that the antlers aren't up for grabs." He accidently sounded a little too hostile and the boy she was with this time stepped forward.

"We are passing through Nara." She said.

"Then you won't mind if I ask where you're coming from."

"We came from the village _**kid**_." The boy was very condescending, making him scoff and irritable, as the tension began to grow an overcast shrouded the moon.

"What was your business there? All of the shops are closed at this hour and the Hokage doesn't take meetings this late."

"It's not your concern what we were doing." He said

"We delivered a letter." The girl deadpanned.

"What the hell woman!?" he said loudly.

"Genzai I just want to go home! Tomorrow is an hour away and we have too much to do?!" She started to turn red, "Ughh!" she turned and started to stomp away.

"Who was the letter for?" Shikamaru called out.

"None of your business!" Genzai said as he started to follow Mesuko back to the camp.

"It's not wise to turn your back on an opponent." Shikamaru said calmly.

"Are you saying you wanna fight, little man?" Genzai turned around and pulled out a soup can like the one he had seen Mesuko carry. "Maybe I'll just make you kill yourself." When he said that Shikamaru tensed and so did the girl… who quickly turned around and smacked her friend hard on the face… "Wha-!" she looked frightened, scared to death even, and in a moment it was gone.

"Dumbass, you do not know how… and more it will not work on the Nara boy."

"Well- Fric- Damn it he didn't know that!" he said loudly gesturing to him, Shikamaru relaxed quickly and stood his ground confidently once more.

"How could you say something like that anyway? We are trying to fix this and you go saying something like that it could ruin everything the Majo has worked for…" Mesuko sounded desperate, trying to teach her thick minded friend about what he could cause. "And you!" She said pointing Shikamaru, "Your jutsu will not work here, the light is not strong enough due to the clouds, if you have a problem with us taking passage through your forest speak to our Majo, she will handle things diplomatically."

"What did you mean when you said it won't work on me?"

"Because you are part of _**our**_ family."

"What?!" Genzai blurted out, and Shikamaru had almost done the same.

"You've all those book and you don't read them? The Nara clan is part of our lineage. Why do you think shadow possession is so easy for them to master and so difficult for others?"

"Ughh… I-.."

"And where do you think the Halla come from, they were born in this forest."

"They were?" He asked.

"We used to live here, don't you remember the Majo telling us that when we were kids?"

"Wait! This was your land?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yes, but that was over sixty years ago… Don't tell me neither of you know that…" They only stared at her, "Ughh men are stupid. I'm going home!" she said and turned away, Genzai followed behind her, and Shikamaru watched as they walked away…

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><p>Please, please review! Tell me what you think.<p>

Information.

A Halla is not my creation, though I modified it a bit, a Halla is from dragon age origins and it serves the same purpose that I use it for in my story, mostly, but we'll come back to that later.

Mesuko stands for Doe child Mesu=doe or female deer and ko=child

Genzai I think means stream or flowing water

Uta means poem

Majo means enchantress and that's not her real name if you couldn't tell it's a title

Nara means a good place, Akusho means a bad place (According to Google)


	2. We Are One

We are One

The morning sun's rays seeped through the trees shining on the morning dew drops, as the first of the clan wobbled tiredly out of their wagons. Brothers and sisters, cousins, uncles, parents, all looked alike. No matter how close they were in blood so long as they are born under the father's name of Akusho they will bear the unique appearance. As the Majo stood weakly on the footsteps of her humble wagon she peered at her burden, the people of her caravan bore the golden eyes of the dead, though only a few could truly see the passed souls, the dark black curly hair is a brand easily seen by the people of the Fire Country, though similar to their cousins of the Nara clan, they had a very light tanned skin from years of wandering the pathways waiting for the rest of the world to forget their dreadful curse…

"Good morning Majo." A hunter said and bowed slightly. "The clan will begin the preparations for the festival while you attend the meeting with the replacement Hokage."

"You do not give the Hokage the respect she deserves…" She said in a soft raspy voice. "The elders of our homeland have chosen her because she is the greatest, treat her as such."

"Yes Majo." He said bowing lower than before.

"Go and awaken Mesuko, she will accompany me to the meeting."

"Yes, would you have a hunter as well?" he asked.

"Hmmmm… no." she said sternly. "The spirits tell me that they will not be needed…"

"I understand." he left and walked to the very back of the camp to the part that was closest to the Nara clan forest, there was one medium sized wagon partially secluded from the rest of camp. "Mesuko. The Majo requires you for the consulting." Soon after the door was opened to the hunter and she stepped out in variant blue long gypsy skirt and a sky blue tank top, that blended into the color of her skirt. Her long layered, waist length spiral hair was messily loose and a single short curl hung over the inner part of her right eye.

"Good morning…" She mumbled occasionally as she passed the other wagons, she placed a hand the muzzle of large white elk with twisted white horns that joined in the center creating a narrow oval shape, the creature stared at her with big black eyes as it continues to graze. "Good morning…" she said to it and the beast returned to others of its kind.

"The Halla look well this morning, don't they?" A familiar voice called out, one she didn't want to hear this early.

"Morning Uta." Mesuko mumbled extra quietly.

"You look dreadful Mesuko. Do you think you should leave attending the meeting to someone with more… experience." Uta stated, though the sentence was a question indeed Uta never liked the thought of sounding wrong so she always said things as if it were right. Uta was the most attractive young girl in the caravan, every boy had asked her for her hand, and she was oh so proud of it. Her long hair was more relaxed and well kept, giving her beautiful large onyx curls unlike Mesuko's tight mass of curls.

"Hmmm… I have absolutely nothing to say to you." She said flatly, "Have a nice day." She laughed and walked away.

"You know Genzai said something about you the other day, what was it…" she stopped at turned slightly to meet her with a venomous gaze. "Something about being without talent _**or**_ beauty." Mesuko said nothing back to her and only turned away, as she walked slowly to the Majo. A stinging sensation began to swell in her chest till she couldn't breathe.

"Mesuko…" The Majo said softly.

"Good morning, Majo, are you ready to depart?"

"Yes child." She spoke gently as they began to leave the camp together. "It is difficult…"

"What is?" she asked keeping her eyes fixed on the pathway.

"Seeing the one you love most placing their affections with someone else."

"Yes… it hurts my chest to see him happy with her… but I then feel ashamed to wish him only to be happy with me." She began to cry as the sting reached her eyes and her chest felt heavy.

"My child… Do you know why you hide your talents?" Majo asked as her old voice took a lighter tone, but Mesuko only quietly rubbed her eyes, "It is because you know deep down that Genzai would have loved your music, and not your heart." She smiled and her features softened dispersing her wrinkles to the sides of her face. Mesuko slowly stopped crying as they approached the gates of the village. "Listen to the spirits, they will help you find your path."

"Yes Majo…" She said quietly, the sun had only just finished rising, the warm golden glow had faded bringing a pure blue sky. At the entrance of Konohagakure the two of them could see several shops opening, the large buildings in the background towered over the landscape, so foreign a sight to them even the Majo was taken aback by the sight before them.

"It looks much different in the daylight…" Mesuko mumbled to herself.

"In all my years, I never get used to it…" she said, "You are thirteen now Mesuko?"

"Yes Majo… It will be my first time dancing in the festival…" she said timidly.

"Do not fret… I know you have been practicing."

"Do the spirits tell you everything about us?" she asked sarcastically.

"No. Well yes, but I can tell that you have without them."

"How?"

"You have determination…" She paused, gazing out into the streets as her expression changed into a saddened one. "Something the others need desperately…"

"Our time will come…" Mesuko said, looking at the people who glanced there way with icy stares, "One day… we will be welcome again. **And our people will know the meaning of **_**home**_** once more**." Mesuko held her head higher and more proudly, despite the looks that they received; they walked with dignity and grace.

As they walked up the high steps of the Hokage's office the Majo had to stop often, her old knees could not make the climb in a single trip.

"Perhaps we should get you a staff…"

"Hmm! I can make the climb on my own!" she said with exaggerated confidence that made Mesuko laugh, the old woman looked as old as ever the higher they climbed, at the top of the steps Mesuko entered the hallway quickly bumping into a hard chest.

"Sor- Uggh Gross!" She exclaimed quickly after seeing Shikamaru, she placed a hand in the middle of his chest and pushed him away quickly.

"Friend of yours?" Majo said playfully.

"Mmmm..Bleh." She said childishly sticking out her tongue.

"Short tempered as usual…" Shikamaru said

"You-!" she pointed her index finger at him.

"Come Child! We still have business, speak with your friend later."

"He's not my friend!" she mumbled in a low angry tone while stomping after the Majo.

"Such a drag." He mumbled, she turned to say something back but the Majo only snapped at her before she could retort. After reaching the door that Mesuko and Genzai had went to last night, the Majo had knocked twice and entered when a stern voice granted their permission. When the blonde woman looked up she was briefly surprised but her expression was soon replaced with nearly tangible seriousness.

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><p>The meeting had ended, Mesuko sat on the very top of the Hokage's office looking out to the whole village, people where busily going about their day scrambling to and fro, but she paid them no attention. The terms of their treaty where weighing down her heart and had clouded her mind.<p>

'_These terms…'_ She clenched the railing, "What is this feeling…"

"Hey," Someone had called out, "you're the one from the Akusho clan?"

"Yes, that is me, will you be the leader for the mission?" she asked turning to see a tall dark haired man man with an unlit cigarette in his mouth.

"Yeah, I'll brief you on what you need to do. The name's Asuma." He stuck out a big hand.

"Mesuko…" she hesitantly shook his outstretched hand. "What do you need me to do?"

"My squad and I need you to help us take control of a bandit hideout, we need you to distract everyone in the main entrance so my team can get deeper inside without wasting our chakra fighting so many men, your Majo recommended you for this mission, but… it will be dangerous."

"I understand… but the Majo has chosen me because the spirits have guided her to that answer…"

"I'm sorry Mesuko, but I'm not quite familiar with your customs, and I also don't know your abilities."

"Please do not doubt me… I will keep them distracted but my jutsu will only last for two minutes at the most, what should I do if you are not at my aid when time ends, I do not possess the skills of a ninja."

"I know..." he said scratching the back of his head. "Well… I don't have an answer for you yet, but we'll talk more about it tomorrow before we leave."

"To-tomorrow!" she shouted, '_Damn it! I knew there was something!' _

"What's wrong with tomorrow?" he asked worried about her troubled expression.

"I have to be back to the camp before sunset, it's very important!"

"Don't worry there should be plenty of time for us to finish the mission."

"Oh… good…" she relaxed. "I wouldn't want them to leave without me…"

"I'm sure you could catch up with the rest of your clan."

"Uh… yeah…" she said uneasily.

"Alright get together whatever you need for tomorrow and my squad and I will be at the camp in the morning, and I'll need the details of your jutsu as well."

"I understand, do you need them now?"

"No my squad will be there tomorrow to get the details."

"Ok."

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><p>"Tonight's the night…" Mesuko told herself, "I hope you're watching mom, I want to make you proud." She smiled, holding up a ceremonial dress. It was yellow and covered in a transparent silky fabric that covered her shoulders and reached her calves, the silk was layered in accents of black, with a mix of blue and orange at the edges. Beside it lay a masquerade mask in the shape of a black butterfly who's wings complimented her curly hair by poking through it.<p>

Outside Uta was surrounded by several of the clans younger men, she was wearing an all white strapless dress similar to Mesuko's but it had long layers attached to her wrists and when she expanded her arms she looked like a bird, her mask was full of feathers and was very extravagant. All of the clan was getting dressed for the festival, every dress and suit was different for each person, weather it belonged to their ancestors or it was a part of who they were. Genzai was dressed as a halla, his mask had twisted edges that extended up like the horns of one of the white beasts, his pants and tunic were a silvery white. Mesuko watched out of a small window in the cabin, waiting for everyone to leave, seeing the costumes and the masks as the final people began to leave she stepped carefully out of her wagon, she took the short cut to town through the Nara forest.

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><p>Shikamaru had seen someone walk through their forest again, he thought that it could be that girl again but wasn't sure, there were at least eight girls he saw that looked similar to each other. <em>'Hmmm…'<em> he thought sitting under a tree, _'Do I really wanna go to that festival?'_ he asked himself, _'I know Choji will be there, some of the other guy's too… but do I wanna risk running into that girl?'_ he got up and brushed off his pants, _'I guess I could just ignore her if I see her.'_

* * *

><p>By the time Shikamaru got to the main streets of the Konoah the sun was almost ready to set, music filled the streets heavily with the sound of beating drums. Akusho members scattered here and there in groups of two or three dancing and performing or playing music, all of them dressed with masks and loose formal clothing. The main part of the party was at the North gate, lanterns hung everywhere around the crowd giving it a candle light glow. A younger girl dressed in all white sung and played a beautiful relaxing harp, that unexpectedly seemed to blend with the drums despite its sweetness.<p>

Choji stood beside Shikamaru and together they watched the girl, the crowd was mesmerized. Her harmonious tunes captivated the listeners, and even through the feather mask it was plain to see that she was beautiful, plucking the harp effortlessly and singing perfectly in tune swaying back and forth in the enjoyment of her own music. Shikamaru noticed that occasionally she would look away from the crowd and to another girl who was playing a koto closely enough to her that her music would blend with the harp.

"She doesn't look happy about the girl playing over there…" Choji said and pointed at the girl with the koto.

"No…" Shikamaru said, "There probably like Ino and Sakura and somehow this is a stupid battle over some guy's attention…" He said uninterested.

"I don't know, lets go listen to her." Choji said walking away from the harp. As they drew closer to the koto the sweet sound of the harp faded, the girl here was almost the opposite of the other, she was dressed in yellow with thick black accents, her dress was more subtle and but still colorful and the butterfly mask blended well with her face and hair. The harp was sweet and peaceful but the koto was aggressive and powerful, strong music flowed out of her fingers and matched the rhythm of the drums and suited the occasion better with an upbeat danceable song, although Shikamaru and Choji wouldn't be dancing… many of the other villagers where dancing with one another clapping their hands occasionally.

"I guess this one isn't fighting…" Shikamaru said.

"How do you know that?"

"Because, her eyes are closed… she's more focused on her music than the other girl."

"Well that explains why it has more emotion than the harp." Shino suddenly said behind the two of them joining the conversation. "I like this girl better…" he said quietly.

"Yeah? Why's that?" Choji asked him

"She's a butterfly, more precisely she a Yellow Swallowtail, you can tell because of the blue and orange accents at the bottom of her dress, she captures the species quite well…"

"I think he's in love." Choji whispered to Shikamaru.

"No. I just admire her taste in clothing." He said shoving his hands in his pockets and walking to the other side of the crowd.

"If they didn't all look the same…" Shikamaru mumbled.

"Hmm?"

"I think I know who that is. But they all look so similar so I'm not really sure if it's the girl I met before."

"Oh, right, that girl you told me about, what was her name?" Choji asked

"I never got her name…" he said walking away quietly.

"Lets go see if we can find some food!" Choji exclaimed walking ahead of him, smelling the air. Shikamaru halted taking one last look at the girl, her eyes were cast down at her fingers, it was plain to see she was trying hard, and her song abruptly ended, as she looked out over the clapping crowd his eyes met hers. He didn't know why… but he nodded to her, and as he walked away he tried to think of a reason that he would do something like that.

'_She's not my friend or anything… and it's not like I know anything about music but she played nicely I guess…'_ he kept thinking about it and suddenly all the music stopped immediately, the drums silenced and all the Akusho clan members began walking toward the North gate, _'Is it over?'_ They settled in the widest part of the opening area, drummers and several musicians stood in one spot then a circle of people stood around them, then a bigger circle around the first one.

People started crowding around at a safe distance, the sun stood half set in the trees and the sky was painted orange. The musicians in the center started to calmly beat on the drums, loudly but all in unison, as they picked up pace the inner circle tapped their foot to the beat followed by the outmost circle. The music picked up before leveling out at a steady upbeat rhythm, the second circle started to hum loudly and moments later the third would follow, the music became louder and stronger, the base of the drums could be felt through the earth sending shivers through the bodies of the crowd. They started to sing in 'oooos' and 'aaahhs' without forming actual words, and the outer circle danced left but the inner danced right. Each layer moved together but as a separate piece of the other, timed so perfectly, they threw their hands up in waves as the musicians added instruments to the piece as they sang together and the butterfly and the bird danced together as one.

Though some voices sang louder than others they blended in a powerful choir that resonated off everything around them as the music hit its peak it quieted one voice sang louder than others and they all quieted… the soft pounding of the drums turned to a quiet heart beat as everyone stood still… "Oooooooohhhhhaaaaaaaa!" They sang louder and louder and the drums picked up and the music climaxed one last time, as the very last light of the sun faded they shot their hands in the air together as one and the music silenced… from within the circle a warm golden light gleamed from them all rising through the air forming a large bear that roared powerfully as it exploded into thousands of separate animals dancing and flying through the crowd before shooting into the air bursting into thousands of tiny twinkles. As the light faded the Majo stood in the very center of everyone still glowing like a golden rod, all of the clan members sat on their knees facing away from her their heads bowed to the crowd humbly as the light slowly faded.

* * *

><p>The crowd died down slowly and people went back to their houses, most of the Akusho had returned to camp and only a few members had stayed to explore the village. Mesuko kept on her butterfly disguise and walked up the main street of the village entrance, she didn't notice that she was being followed…<p>

"I know it's you." A familiar voice stopped her. Shikamaru had his hands stuffed in his pockets, he was wearing a grey shirt with his Nara clan symbol on the front in blue, he stood a few feet in front of her.

"Oh yeah?" she asked playfully.

"Yeah." He said, he was watching past her though. In an alley there were two members of her clan he noticed following her suspiciously. "What are you doing here by yourself." He asked.

"What? You scared I might ruin something by being here?" she asked bitterly.

"That's not what I meant, don't be a drag."

"What does that even mean?" she asked placing her hands on her hips sassily

"It means you're being a bitch." A girl said behind her. Mesuko didn't turn around, she looked side to side for a place to hide.

"Uta…" Genzai said wearily. When Mesuko heard his voice she tensed more.

"Hey, turn around! Look at me when I talk to you." Uta said angrily. She walked away stubbornly forward.

"You don't look familiar to us." Genzai said.

"Not even to you…" she whispered, but Shikamaru heard her…

"Hey, maybe you should go home." Shikamaru told her quietly.

"No… not right now."

"Are you ignoring me!?" Uta exclaimed.

"Hey! I'm in the middle of a conversation here, why don't you be a drag queen somewhere else!" Shikamaru said loudly. Mesuko looked at him surprised.

"Why are you defending me?" She asked.

"I'm not. There just annoying me…" she laughed at him softly.

"Hmmm., don't laugh…" he blushed.

"You can be really cute when you want to…"

"I'm not being cute." He sounded bored but was still blushing lightly.

"Stop ignoring me!" Uta screamed in a high pitched annoying voice.

"I-."

"Come on Uta! It's getting late, we need to go." Genzai said pulling her away.

"Do you think he knew it was me?" she whispered sadly.

"Why don't you want him to?" Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

"No reason…" she said after a long pause. "Well…" She said more happily, "It was nice meeting you."

"You say it like you'll never see me again." He smirked.

"I might not." She taunted. "Try not to miss me." She teased.

"It won't be hard." He walked away.

* * *

><p>The end! Of this chapter… I hope I described it well enough it was all so fantastic in my head haha.<p> 


	3. I Stand Alone

I Stand Alone

It was morning now… Shikamaru was in his bed, just sitting there. He and his team had to go on a mission with someone from the Akusho clan. "Well… mine as well get this over with."

"So why did the Hokage want us to bring someone from the Akusho clan?" Choji asked as he walked with Shikamaru down a path towards the Akusho camp site.

"It's actually a good idea if you think about it. If the Akusho clan are helping the ninja out, they can gain back a lot of credibility." Shikamaru said.

"Hmmmm I see."

"We're almost there…" A flag stood with the Akusho clan symbol on it, a circle with three straight vertical lines and three curved horizontal lines that connected to the vertical ones.

"It kinda looks the Nara symbol… in a way…" Choji said turning his head to the side.

"Yeah it does..."

"Is that because the two clans used to be together?"

"The Nara and Akusho clans were never the same thing, we were two parts that worked together as one." An old woman's voice said calmly from in the shade of a tree. The boys didn't say anything back to her, "You are the ninja here for Mesuko?"

"Yes, I'm here early so we can strategize." Shikamaru said.

"Hmmm, her cabin is at the back, she is closest to the border."

"Thank you." He bowed, and pulled Choji's scarf a little making him bow too.

"What was that for Shikamaru?"

"She deserves respect like any other leader, I know it's a drag, but apparently only females are the head of the Akusho clan. Or at least that's what my dad said…"

"Do you think this Mesuko girl is going to be the next leader?"

"Probably… I don't see why they would send someone weak with us…" They stood at the very entrance of the camp, fifty some wagons of various sizes cluttered together, standing in the distance white horse like deer grazed waiting for a command from their masters. As Shikamaru and Choji walked through the camp they were greeted venomous stares, the proud people watched as they walked past, standing like ancient kings and queens on the doorstep of their motherland. Children ran away from them hiding under the skirts of their mothers, and the hunters gripped their weapons.

"Back that way." A girl said pointing towards a medium sized wagon separated slightly from the others.

"You're the girl from last night, the one playing the harp." She smiled arrogantly and swayed her hips walking closer, Choji blushed a little as she came closer but Shikamaru remained unphased. "Thanks." he mumbled and walked away, "Come on Choji."

"Uhh, right." He said quickly trotting after him. The girl popped a vein in her head.

"Hey don't walk away from me!" she threw up her fists.

"We don't have time to waste fooling around, we're here for Mesuko, that's it." She grunted in disapproval.

"I'm surprised you aren't taking someone more useful. Like Genzai, he's our top hunter, not some death speaker…"

"Huh?" Choji turned to listen to her.

"Oh? Did no one tell you that Mesuko's useless?" Uta said in a forced surprised tone.

"I figured you people would have more faith in each other." Shikamaru said walking away, Choji shook his head and followed him.

"Whatever, outsiders… she's a wretched soul that one…"

As they neared the last wagon a shadow on the inside scurried back and forth in the small chamber, as Choji went to knock on the door it swung open "I'm so-!"

"Oh…"they said in unison, her voiced dropped at the sight of Shikamaru.

"Mmmmm…. Not you." she mumbled.

"You don t look happy to see me." He smirked.

"Overjoyed."

"Hi…" Choji said quietly.

"Hello. My name is Mesuko. A pleasure to meet you." It was well rehearsed but in a way that sounded as though she was trying too hard to impress rather than be rude.

"Umm yeah likewise."

"Likewise…?" she mumbled under her breath, a slightly foreign term to her.

"Guess you're our partner for the day." Choji said.

"The other two will meet us at the front gates, I want you tell me about your jutsu on the way there."

"Why?" she asked her eyes narrowing suspiciously at him.

"I strategize; I need details so I can make a plan."

"I won't tell you." She said stubbornly, "The Majo has forbid me from telling you our techniques."

"Why? Does your clan want to keep them secret?" he accused her quickly and suspiciously.

"I know not what the Majo has planned only that it is, and I will not disobey her orders." She crossed her arms and he gritted his teeth. This was going to be a long a tiresome argument and the end he wouldn't win it.

"How can I make I plan without knowing what you're capable of? Do you want to die on this mission?" he said heat rising as his anger peaked.

"It is a test it doesn't matter!"

"You'll die for this stupid thinking, you're being careless!"

"Why do you care? This is not about you!"

"I care because _**our lives**_ are at stake as well!"

"Then I will not fail!"

"You can't be certain!"

"That's enough!" an old woman's voice said above the two of them. "The details of our jutsu will not be relayed to anyone, and she cannot even perform it anyhow." Mesuko casted her eyes downward, caught.

"You can't-! That girl was right, we need someone else, someone who can fight!"

"No!" The Majo said, "She has been chosen by the highest authority, and that of your Hokage as well, she will go on this mission and defeat the pawns you need her to or she will die. That is her duty."

"You would risk our safety?" Shikamaru asked.

"You are ninja, walk in the shadows and be ninja." She said this then left her words were final.

"Grrr… Meet us at the gate!" he spat at her angrily and defeated before sprinting away with Choji.

Shikamaru was angry, this girl, had made him angry, he could always keep cool even when faced with death, he just happened to get lucky sometimes, but that wasn't something he could count on…

"Where is the Akusho girl?" Asuma asked.

"You mean the talentless death bomb that is supposed to join our mission and kill us all?" Shikamaru asked sarcastically, "She's on her way…" he said, Asuma's grave look at Shikamaru's apparent frustration made Ino and Choji worried as well.

"Apparently, she has no jutsu. But the leader of their clan won't send anyone else." Choji clarified.

"No jutsu?" Ino asked.

"She's not a ninja or a fighter in any way!" Shikamaru yelled from a few feet away fuming and trying to think of a plan, "She's going to die…" he mumbled to himself. "Stick to the shadows…" he paced back and forth.

"Asuma, he looks really worried, I've never seen Shikamaru pace before." Ino whispered.

"He's not calm right now, give him some time, he'll think of a plan he always does." He soothed her, but he felt uneasy himself, Shikamaru was always collected, never showed his weaknesses.

Everyone was a little on edge "What is this feeling?" Mesuko asked herself._ 'I can't explain this… its tugging at my chest. Something big is about to happen, good or bad. Am I truly walking to my death? Have I put the lives of four innocent people at stake? What should I do? I can't perform the sun snake jutsu… I don't even know how to control the light…' _she walked to the gate with tunnel vision she was halfway through Konoah by now. _'If there's anything I know…'_ she thought "I can't fail." She said with determination. "If I do I will send them to their death's… Probably… Then again they are the ninja not like me…" Mesuko felt a soft wind bush past her and the hair on her neck stood up, she whirled around quickly but saw no one close enough to touch her. "Strange…" Her golden eyes scanned for the gate a few figures could be seen in the distance one taller than the other three. _'I suppose that's them… I should hurry…'_

When Mesuko arrived the tension was nearly tangible, there were no introductions, she could feel that she was among strangers, unwelcome… She cast her eyes to the ground when they had turned the four of them walking in front of her. She could feel their souls, strong hearts beat in their chest, they each had strong bonds to one another, the strength so different even in her tightly knit clan she could no longer feel a bond like this with Genzai. _'I don't think I've ever felt so alone… But, at least I have a clan to return to… If I survive, I guess.'_ It was not noon when they had left the village. She wanted to ask something, but was afraid to speak to them, they could be mean like Uta or ignore her like some other clan members… _'But…'_ she thought, "Do you have a plan?" she broke the silence that had been forming for a long time going on thirty minutes she assumed.

"I can't really make a plan when I don't know all the details…" Shikamaru said from ahead of the crowd, the others she could tell where listening closely.

"But isn't that what you always do? How can you know the full extent of every mission when you may know nothing about your opponent in the first place?"

"Well it doesn't help that I don't know what _**you**_ can do. _**If **_anything at all." He said bitterly and she did not speak to him for the rest of the journey there, nor to anyone else. Mesuko kept a good distance from the other four from that point on… there was no need to speak to them, she could feel their hearts now, and filled with fear and doubt from the lack of confidence their friend had for her. His uneasiness made them all feel as such, and they had reason to as well. Therefore she walked behind them and listening for the spirits to guide her.

They walked through a thick forest of trees, a clearing was just ahead of them Asuma had already taken out the forest scouts, there was a large house and old farm that had been turned into what resembled a guard barracks now for this bandit camp. "We need you to take care of these men." Asuma said pointing to some ten fifteen men that littered the outside, "It's the only way we can get inside their stronghold."

Mesuko felt a chill in the air, her hair stood again as before she could hear a whisper in the wind, as if coming from the forest itself. "What about the secret passage?" she said quietly and hoping that they knew about it…

"A what?" Shikamaru asked.

"The barn…" She looked to the barn only guarded by one man who looked half asleep sitting on a wooden barrel.

"How do you know that's there?" Asuma said.

"I… I just do, you have to trust me…" she said lacking all confidence.

"Everyone stay here, I'll scout the barn…" Asuma commanded. "All of you put on these headsets." He passed them out to everyone checking to make sure they were all on the same frequency. "I will give you the clear if it's safe and give orders…"

"Wait, you don't know!" Shikamaru argued quietly. Asuma only lifted a finger motioning him to be silent. They all watched from a distance as he slid into the barn from the back door, waiting patiently for the sound of his voice or for fighting or screaming, exploding, anything... Suddenly a whispering voice came over the ear piece and they all slightly jumped.

"I'm in the barn, there is a trap door in the far left corner near the back below is a tunnel leading in the direction of the main house. I will scout ahead Ino Choji Shikamaru follow through in that order two minutes apart from one another, stay hidden and undetected. Mesuko…" He paused for moment, ",distract them for as long as you can when everyone has made it inside the barn… we will all keep our ear piece on as an emergency contact I want you to run if you're overwhelmed, inform us and we will abort the mission on my command. " They exchanged glance before Ino took off through the trees while Choji and Shikamaru waited in intervals.

As Mesuko watched Shikamaru stand at the edge of the barn, waiting for him to go inside, he looked in her direction she would have thought that their eyes met, but she couldn't see that far… He disappeared and it was time to perform her part of the bargain… She regretted her decision to wear a skirt and took off her sandals, she needed the grip of her own feet not her slippery shoes she took a pocket knife and, regrettably, cut a slit in her skirt up to her knee and cut off the bottom layer of her skirt for more maneuverability. Chakra rod in hand she headed for the opening of the camp gates, with no skills in forming a strategy she was confronted first by the two guards in front, mistaking her for a beggar, cut cloths, a soup can, and all.

"Go on kid get out of here before I skin you alive and put your head on pike!" one of them said. How could she fight them? She barely knew any fighting skills at all!

'_**Do not be afraid… We are with you, always… You need only ask for our help…'**_ She could hear chanting whispers her body was filled with emotions, she could feel everything every person and living thing close to her their thoughts and feelings could reach her… he was going to attack… the one on the left, the one on the right was waiting for the left and he would attack after him, but when?! _**'Now!**_' The voices told her, '_**Block him! Use your staff, control your chakra child!'**_ Her fingers moved without her, blocking a lame excuse for a sword and hitting the guard on the right, then the one on left a blow to the stomach.

"What is this?!" she asked no one but herself, confused by her own actions.

'_**Let us help you…'**_ was the final thing she heard before everything was a blur, then nothing, then blackness…

* * *

><p>'<em>I failed… they are dying and it's my fault, what should I do? I… I can't move, my body won't it hurts, why is it dark? Someone help me!'<em> Mesuko snapped her eyes open, only to find that she was being cradled in big arms a dark beard was above her head and a strong face, she began to cry. "I'm sorry…" she cried softly weeping.

"Hmmm?" Asuma asked her unaware that she was awake, and crying… "Why are you sorry?" he asked puzzled.

"I made you abandon the mission." She sobbed cradling her shame in her hands.

"Don't you remember? I found you passed out in the courtyard… you… destroyed the place. I don't know what jutsu you posses but you should be more careful, if Ino didn't know a little medical ninjutsu you would be in a more serious condition…"

'_The whispers…'_ She recalled, _'what did they do?'_ Mesuko remained in his arms looking ahead of her she could see Shikamaru and the other two walking ahead… "So… everyone is safe?" She looked up at Asuma with big golden eyes.

"Yes. Everyone is fine." He smiled, they were heading home, "They want to go to dinner, you are welcome to join us you must be hungry."

"Dinner?" She thought before fiercely scolding herself for not noticing what time it was. "The sun will set soon I need to get back to the camp! Please it's urgent!" She began to wiggle her stiff body.

"Hey calm down don't struggle!" He said. "Shikamaru!"

"Hmm?" he looked behind him curiously to see that Mesuko was awake and trying to get free. "What a drag…" he breathed.

"Quick get Mesuko back to her camp, she says it's urgent!" Asuma quickly placed Mesuko into his arms not waiting for an objection. "Go now no complaining!" Asuma had an uneasy feeling watching them sprint away…

"Hurry! Can't you run any faster!" Mesuko asked,

"Maybe if you didn't weigh so much!" he said.

"Shut up and run! Please I need to get back there right now!" She was almost in tears again.

"What's wrong, what's so urgent?" the sunlight was fading by the second and the camp wagons were finally in sight they were almost there.

"They're going to leave! If I'm not there they will leave without me!" He stopped some thirty feet away. "Put me down, quick! You might get pulled in please stay here!" she said desperately, running towards her clan she could see every clan member holding hands on the back of halla with their wagons in toe. At the very edge of the camp Uta stood holding her hand out to Mesuko. She ran her heart pounding, her body aching, but it didn't matter… The last of the light crept away from the trees Mesuko reached out her hand to Uta.

In a flash of golden light Shikamaru was blinded and on his knees a wave of strong wind crashed over him sending him tumbling over.

Mesuko had reached her hand out closing her eyes desperately, she kept them shut tightly, lunging forward she landed on her chest in the soft grass, she couldn't feel anyone… there was no one, she refused to open her eyes, and she cried out in a heart wrenching agony as tears burned their way through her eye lids, Uta had taken her hand away… leaving her behind. She didn't need to see the Forest trees to know that she was left behind, she curled into the fetal position crying loudly into the dirt.

Shikamaru looked into the space that once held the camp site of fifty some people, gone in the blink of an eye, the only thing left was the sound of heart break… He walked over to where Mesuko was balled up. The sound of her crying made his chest hurt, "Where, did they go?" he asked. And as soon as he did he was slammed into the ground with an angry, frightened, girl screaming at him.

"This is your fault!" she blamed him.

"Mine-?"

"You were to slow! To slow-!" she sobbed slamming her fists into his chest repeatedly. "They are gone-" she wept, "They will not come back… not for me…" she cradled her heavy head in her hands. Shikamaru laid in the grass next to her, unsure of what to say and utterly ignorant of her situation. Asuma appeared soon to find that she was still crying, and barely a trace of any camp site.

"What happened?" he asked Shikamaru, he was at a loss for words. They watched as Mesuko walked away from them, there in the farthest part of the empty camp, was her medium sized wagon separated from everything and completely alone. And there she went to rest and wake up the next day to hope that it was only a dream…

* * *

><p>I'm sure you all have lots of questions but everything will be explained in due time :)<p> 


	4. Not One Of Us

Not One of Us

Mesuko lay in her bed still and silent. The forest outside the wagon was lush with greenery, but the colors of life were going to change soon because fall was on her door step. The clan will most likely be journeying to warmer seasons, without a proper house they could not survive the winter seasons… Last year they made camp on the border of the desert, this year she thought that the clan would head to the land of lightning, but in the end it was always the Majo's decision, she could choose to travel to Suna if she wished, they had always been on good terms with their people.

"I need to leave here before fall arrives… when winter is here, I shudder to think what will happen." She imagined a snow covered wagon and herself huddled under a mass of blankets with no food or water… "I need a horse… or a bull." She thought pacing on her bed, "Or… I could get a deer." She thought. "I could ask the Nara for a deer to pull my wagon." With the hope that things would go smoothly she put on her favorite skirt, a long dark green one and a leafy kind of green tee shirt, throwing her dark black curly hair into a bun with a few curls hanging down with her bangs. She didn't take her chakra rod or her sandals, and set off through the little valley towards the Nara's house.

When Mesuko reached a small cluster of family houses she realized that she was unaware of witch one belonged to the 'Head-of-House' so to speak. A few people dotted the little village of houses some working in farm fields. _'I could have mistaken them for my own clan, were it not for the hair…' _she laughed at herself, everyone in the fire country seemed to posses such finely haired people. _'I wonder, could this be what it would feel like if we lived here too?' _she was lost in the hopes and dreams she had harbored since childhood, she always wanted to live on a farm…

"Hey… no offence but, what are you doing here?" A familiar young man said from behind her.

"Hello." She said while Shikamaru yawned away the rest of his sleep, "I'm here to ask for a deer."

"Huh?" he said completely awake now. "You what?"

"The deer have always been kept by your people… it's the halla that I tend to, so I need to ask for permission if need one to lead my wagon."

"Look… I know that you're used to different things from us but… you won't be getting any deer, if you need something to pull your cart then go buy a bull." He had become offended by her negligent manor toward the deer in the forest and he was ready to put her in her place about the matter. "Our burden are not for riding, stealing antlers, and pulling wagons, we protect them like our own and you can't use them like cattle." He remained calm despite the irritation in his voice, he was also ready for a battle and probably a long talk about halla and deer and the bullshit he didn't really care about.

"I understand." Was the only thing she said before walking past him and leaving him dumbstruck in the dust.

'_Just like that? Oh no little girl I'm not fooled that easily, gonna try to steal a deer from us, well we'll just see about that!' _he devilishly smirked hatching a plan, but first, he was gonna tail her.

Shikamaru watched Mesuko walk into the village, he could see a few villagers avoiding her, and a couple of houses closed their windows and doors after seeing her. It was as if she was a bad omen walking through the housing district… _'She has no idea where she's going… and by the looks of things, no one is going to point her in the right direction.' _He thought of helping her, but it would ruin his element of surprise. _'I shouldn't just let her wander around the village…'_ he could feel himself caving in as she wandered down another street, and just when he was going to go and casually bump into her he noticed she was headed for Ino's flower shop. _'Come on Ino… Don't make me come down there…' _

* * *

><p>The people of the village were avoiding Mesuko left and right, barricading themselves and their children in their houses. She turned down another street that said 'Market District' this particular street was very wide with shops huddled together one after another. There was a little store with potted plants sitting outside as she got closer the inside was filled with seasonal flowers and different colored roses, lilies, and the very last of summer flowers. A young man walked out holding a beautiful bouquet of arranged various flowers, he looked as nervous as turkey during Thanksgiving week. When she was at the doorstep of the shop she saw a very familiar blonde headed girl.<p>

"Hmm?" she looked up from her counter surrounded by flowers, "Hey." She was surprised at first but her expression soon hanged to one of sorrow, "I heard what happened, and I'm sorry, I don't really know the whole story and all…" her voice trailed away.

"It's alright… I think I know where they're going this year, I was wondering though, do you know where I could buy a bull? Or a horse, even a donkey…" she said.

"Well… I think there is a livestock shop the next street over, but his farm is on the edges of the Land of Fire so he delivers them to his customers, and it usually takes a few days. But I mean you can go talk to him, he's next to the dentist.

"Thank you for telling me the way." She smiled and waved goodbye to Ino.

"Good luck… I think you'll need it." She said watching some people in the street avoid her after watching her come out of the flower shop. "You'd think she had the plague."

* * *

><p>"Hello?" Mesuko said upon entering the shop with a little cow drawn on the door, a little brass bell rang when she opened the door. There was no one at the counter when she first entered but there was a picture book with several different farm animals in it.<p>

"Sorry about that I was.. uh." A very big man with a round belly and a scruffy black beard protruded from a back room, "Look. I know just who you are and I'm telling you right now I won't be selling anything to _**your**_ kind."

"But-"

"No buts kid, you probably couldn't afford anything in here anyway now scram." He made a shoowing motion with one hand.

"What if I worked for one?!" she tried to ask but he was picking her up by the sleeve of her shirt. "Hey wait!" she said trying to squirm out of his grip.

"I wouldn't be caught dead with someone like you working for me!" He threw her out the door and she landed hard on her butt in the middle of the street. The door with cow on it slammed shut and she could hear it locking and the only thing she saw was him pulling down the shade that said 'closed' on it.

"Yeah! …. Well I think your bulls look shitty anyway!" she yelled at him, when the big man shot up the blinds glaring at her she bolted for an alleyway running as fast as she could in a city she couldn't even navigate herself through. Huffing and puffing now she stopped to catch her breath, and realized that she was completely lost. She looked back the direction she came from and realized she must have took a few turns, looking forward she saw a rather small dirt road next to a wooden fence.

She must have been close to a park because there were a lot of tall trees now and greenery, she started walking down the pathway until it opened up to a larger street between to fences, there were a few people dotting the pathway. An older man was walking in her direction. "Umm, excuse me." She put her hand out to the man.

"No.. No!" he said walking briskly past her. A woman a few feet away was walking in the opposite direction.

"Excuse me ma'am." She said.

"Oh?" she turned but after seeing her she said, "No I-I I have some where to be right now!" and she walked away quickly. An elderly lady was walking in her direction and when she saw Mesuko coming near her she cried out.

"Help! Help! Someone help me!" he old voice cracked and croaked.

"No please, you misunderstand!" she held up her hands in an unarmed manor.

"LEAF HURRICANE!" a shrilling battle cry made her whirl around when all she saw was a foot coming straight for her face she didn't even have time to blink. Just when she thought she was done for a young boy was right in front of her and he had caught the death foot before it impacted with her face. The boy had long brown hair and tan clothing. Mesuko heavily sighed and fell to her knees shaking, while the old woman blessed them and scurried off faster than a rat.

"I'm sorry for my friend here miss." The boy said looking down at the quivering girl, who looked like she would burst into tears any second. "Mh! I.." he immediately recognized the curly hair and yellow eyes. "I wasn't aware that your clan was still in town." He said quickly.

"They- they're not, I was left behind and now I'm lost and I'm just trying to get home I was only asking for directions!" She said it all in one breath and her chest was heaving and she was just about to cry, when the other kid spoke up.

"I'm so sorry! It looked like you were terrorizing everyone!" He fell to her level clasping his hands together in an apologetic manor. "Please find it in your heart to forgive me!" he shouted! The boy was positively dorky, it looked like someone cut his hair with scissors and a soup bowl and the bushiest eyebrows she had ever seen. His dramatic behavior took her by such a shock she didn't even want to cry any more.

"Sure…?" she squeaked out quietly.

"Oh thank you! I'll never try to hurt you again! I promise!" he said standing fast enough to make her dizzy. "My name is Rock Lee! And I am the handsome devil of the leaf! What is your name miss?!"

"Ummm-."

"Um? That is a very unusual name!"

"Lee!" The other boy growled at him. "That's not her name."

"Neji I didn't know you knew this girl! Is there something you're hiding from me?" he questioned holding up his picky finger.

"Unbelievable." He said putting his fingers on the bridge of his nose.

"My name is Mesuko." She said sitting on her knees, "And no I don't know your friend here."

"No need to be shy Um!"

"Lee she's telling the truth!"

"What do you mean Neji!?"

"She's telling the truth." He repeated, deadpanned in an unusually calm tone.

"Oh." Lee said," You should speak up louder next time there is no need to be shy!" he smiled widely extending out his hand helping her off the ground.

"Ok." Was all she really said after all that fuss.

"You said you needed directions?" Neji asked her.

"Yes! I do I'm trying to get back out of the village, my wagon is outside the Nara forest."

"Alright, can you get there from one of the main roads?"

"I… I think so yes."

"Alright, keep following this road that way," Neji pointed down the way they were facing, "Then take a right and you'll reach the Hokage's office, there are four main roads branching off from that point just pick the pathway to the south and you'll reach the Nara borderlands." The whole time he was talking Lee was making dramatic traffic signals at her.

"Right! I can't thank you enough!" she said shaking his hand. "Goodbye!" The simple fact that someone had helped her was astonishing to her, the way everyone had been treating her all day was getting on her nerves…

* * *

><p>Mesuko was blissfully unaware that Shikamaru had been following her the entire time, she trotted out the village and he took cover in the trees watching her the entire way. After she had walked past his house he slipped inside to his room and sent his shadow forth, after passing her on the way to the forest he searched for the biggest, strongest, young buck he could find. Then set off to her little wagon to lure her into his trap.<p>

* * *

><p>Mesuko reached the small clearing that she had recently become so familiar with, she took a deep breath of fresh air, glad to be out of the big city. As she began to walk out of the clearing she noticed a very healthy looking stag only a few feet from her.<p>

'_That's right girl, I'm just an unsuspecting buck eatin some grass…'_ Shikamaru thought to himself. She walked closer over to the deer, who, lifted his head to look at her, she looked so tiny to him now, this buck towered over her. She reached up her hand and pet his neck with soft fingers.

"Hello." She said quietly.

'_Hey'… Wait why did I say that…'_ He kicked himself mentally.

"You're pretty far from the herd, you guys don't usually come this close to the border, there's a lot of hunters just across that street over there."

'_Hunters like yourself chick.' _He scoffed.

"In search for greener pastures I suppose," she pet his nose softly looking into the big round eyes, "aren't we all…" she added after petting him. Her hands were soft, and she touched him so gently he didn't think she was capable of it. "Hmm?" Mesuko stopped petting him and watched as a figure was approaching her wagon. "Who is that?" she asked herself cautiously, Shikamaru turned the massive deer around to look at the wagon, there was someone over there near her wagon he watched Mesuko start to walk towards them.

'_No stupid girl! You're supposed to steal me so I can bust you!' _Shikamaru cursed the person by her wagon for distracting her, _'Wait… what if this guy is dangerous?' _Mesuko, unable to speak deer, kept going anyway. Shikamaru, against his better judgment decided to follow her, there wasn't a whole lot a deer could do but one this size could scare anyone away, with the right tactics.

"Hello?" Mesuko called out a safe distance away. The man was tall and slim and wore glass he had a file in his hands and was holding a piece of paper out to her, the man eyes the deer rather oddly and then her.

"I am to understand that this is your…" he looked the wagon up and down with disgust, "_**property**_." He finally said.

"It is." She said firmly.

"Well it has to be moved."

"What?" she asked him loudly.

"This is property belonging to the Village of Konoahgurke and your clan was granted permission to stay for two days and nights and then must be removed from the premises. You have one week to find a place to put that **thing** or the authorities will be forced to remove it for you and a fine of, lets see here" he looked down at the paper, "200,000 yen will be expected to be paid in full before the return of said property." He finished and handed her the paper with the details. "You have seven days." He repeated and began walking away briskly.

"Wait where am I supposed to go?"

"Not my problem."

"Well how can I move my wagon without an animal?!"

"**Buy** one!" he said annoyed walking away faster.

"I don't have any money you jack ass!" she shouted at him, but he ignored her completely. "Oh great!" she threw her hands in the air, "Just fuckin great!" she looked back at the man who was rather far away now, "ASSHOLEEEEEEEEE!" she yelled as loudly as she could.

'_Feisty…'_ Shikamaru thought, _'I hate feisty.'_ But he couldn't help feeling bad about her situation.

"Okay!" she clapped her hands together and looked at the deer, "I have seven… six and a half days, to figure out how to buy an animal so I can move my wagon to find my clan who left me behind, and I have no idea where they went or any friends in the village, and everyone hates me because of who I am and no one would give me a job because of it." When she thought she was going to cry before that was nothing compared to how she felt now. After voicing everything that had happened she felt more hopeless than ever. She fell to her knees, and put her head in her hands.

'_If you try to steal a deer my family would confiscate your wagon and hold you prisoner. That would pretty much solve all your problems.'_ He said confidently. The large deer sat beside her on the ground Mesuko curled into his brown fur and began to weep, again. She was crying **again** and Shikamaru was there **again**, but this time was different it felt different, she was looking to him for comfort. _'If it means anything I'm sorry…' _he put his head next to hers in a sort of hug. _'Then again it doesn't because you can't hear me right now.' _She hugged him back and the pair laid there till she stopped crying, but she only fell to sleep and some hours later Shikamaru came and put her into her bed in the small wagon.

"Maybe you'll figure something out tomorrow." He whispered, before leaving her he brushed a stray curl behind her ear, and left her to sleep.

* * *

><p>I put that last bit in there to imply that there is no doubt that he has hidden feelings for her even now hehe. Alright guys please review me I would appreciate it.<p> 


	5. Part Of Your World

Part of Your World

When Mesuko woke up many hours later it was well into the middle of the night, she opened her eyes slowly; groggy and dry they stung a little from so much crying. "Ugggh…" she whined in a deep tone. "Sucks." She laid in bed unable to fall back asleep, looking around her tiny home, her bed and a dresser were pretty much the only things in it, she had two small cabinets large enough to hold a few scrolls and imperishable food, she imagined it being taken away, the only thing she had left at this point was going to be taken in six days unless she found a way to either move it on _**someone's**_ property or find a pack animal to haul all her crap and get the hell out of dodge. "Maybe I'll take a walk, look for a farm or something…. Oh I don't know…"

* * *

><p>Shikamaru couldn't get a wink of sleep that night which was very unlike him. Luckily he didn't have a mission tomorrow or else he would be shit outta luck. He decided that it would be best to go for a walk, and unwilling to disturb the deer tonight he walked with his own two feet. With his hands shoved in his pockets he walked down a dirt road, small farms and little houses dotted the street, at the very end of it was a lush forest full of life, poachers were strictly forbidden and the forest was always being watched, some people often even believed that it was haunted, but Shikamaru knew better. The forest tonight had a beautiful glow from the moon and even though it was dark out he didn't need a lantern, he knew the forest like the back of his hand, doesn't mean he didn't take any gear with him, he wasn't stupid after all.<p>

Shikamaru took the longest path through the forest, this particular trail lead a circle around the entire property and lead to the village, that just so happened to also lead right to Mesuko's wagon. Looking down at the dirt the path, it was rarely used for its inconvenient length to the village, he saw several sets of barefoot tacks, the same size foot however. He noted that it was the path that Mesuko would use to travel back and forth between the village and her wagon. _'I wonder what we look like to her…'_ he looked back at the cluster of houses that belonged to his clan members. _'Maybe a place like this… would be a home to someone like her, perhaps the entire clan is searching for one place that is just like this…'_ her previous conversation came back to him.

"_We used to live on this land together." _

'_Together hmmm…'_ He followed her little footsteps blindly down the trail. _'Maybe her sticking around wouldn't be so bad, I know she was training to be the next leader, person thing, of her clan, she could act as an advisor to reconnect her clan to society… and maybe even find a place to call a real home.'_ He thought back to her tiny wagon, which had no bathroom or kitchen, just a bed and couple of shelves. _'She's not going to be able to make it o her own… What a drag…_'

* * *

><p>Mesuko paced the outside of her wagon, <em>'What to do? What to do?'<em> she asked herself, _'I could go catch a wild horse… Hah!'_ she started laughing to herself, out loud.

"_There's nothing funny about this situation."_ A very deep, very close, voice spoke to her. She turned in all directions to look for someone, but found no one, not even a mouse.

( A/N: For the sake of saving you the trouble I'm going to say that this voice is that of James Earl Jones. Aka Mufasa from the Lion King. Which I do not own. Moving on.)

"Who's there?" her voice shaking a little.

"_Have you all ready forgotten? After all the help I gave you."_ The voiced scorned her.

"I- I don't know what you mean. Where are you?" she turned in all directions searching frantically for someone who wasn't there.

"_I am everywhere, and nowhere, all around you and within you." _The man's voice was bottomless and it rung in her ears and vibrated her core.

"That doesn't make any sense!" her chest was tight and her heart pounding quickly, she was becoming more frightened the more he spoke, as if it kept getting louder and louder.

"_Look harder…"_ he said in a softer but still deep tone. Mesuko took a deep breath calming herself a little, looking all directions, until she saw something she couldn't quite explain. A shadow on the ground, hers yes, but it was not her, instead it was a shadow of large deer with great antlers, extending from her feet.

The shadow then began rise from the ground as if brought to life just by her seeing it, a great deer twice the height of herself stood in front of her smokey and see-though. Rather than looking like a real deer this beast was like a 3-D tribal tattoo, only being whole in the sense that he was made of shadows. "What are you?" she asked in awe.

"_I am a spirit. It was I who helped you fight those bandits."_

"That can't be! I heard more than one voice!" she said.

"_I am not the only one watching over you." _Her eyes widened in shock.

"Watching over me?" This massive deer nodded his head. "I don't understand, why show yourself now? Why have I never heard you before? Seen you or this-this other spirit?" The male spirit looked to the deep forest.

"_It is this place, this forest is your home and being here makes you stronger." _

"Then it makes you stronger as well?" she asked.

"_No. I have always been here, when you grow stronger so will your vision."_ The deer started to walk towards the forest.

"Wait!" she said running after him. "I have so many questions!" she reached out her hand to touch him but he only turned to black smoke, dissipating right before her eyes. Her hand still extended in air her eyes focused on something else, a young boy who was beginning to walk into the gorge. "Shikamaru." She said quietly.

"Hmm?" he looked in her direction, she was still a few meters away but close enough to make eye contact. "What are you doing up at this hour?" he asked her.

"I could ask you the same thing." She said, "And why are you coming so close to my wagon?" she asked suspiciously.

"Whys your wagon so close to my forest?" he challenged.

"Because that's where it's always been."

"Not always." He said, "You could move it ya know, it has wheels." He was attempting to bring up the conversation from earlier, that way if he accidently said anything about it, she wouldn't know he was the deer all along.

"And where exactly would I move it?" she asked angrily.

" Who knows… not like anybody would notice it moving a few feet… you probably couldn't move it very far." He added the last part quickly hoping she would find a deeper meaning without letting his secret out.

"I don't want to move it a few feet… I want to move it out of the country." He stared into her golden eyes for a moment, before turning his to look down the path, then back at her nodding to it. She followed him silently down the trail. "Why _**are**_ you out so late?" she asked him quietly.

"Couldn't sleep… you?"

"Same… or too much, I don't know."

"Hmh." He grunted in response. He shoved his hands in his pockets and they walked silently through the outskirts of the forest. He swished his thoughts around for a time before speaking to her again. "What will you do?" he asked her.

"I… it doesn't matter." She said quickly.

"Don't be so defensive."

"I'm not being defensive!"

"Yeah. You are." When she started to look angry he said, "You don't know do you."

"No. I don't!" she yelled.

"Well then, what will you do if you're forced to stay here?" his serious tone made her gut curdle. When she didn't answer him he said, "How will you make it though winter in that wagon?" it wasn't a question.

"I won't." She said firmly.

"Then where will you go?"

"I'll just have to find a way to make it back to my clan!"

"You have to be reasonable!" he said stopping, standing in front of her, forcing her to pay attention to him. "Think of other options before jumping to impossible conclusions!"

"Well if you had just given me a deer I wouldn't be in such a mess right now!"

"Ughh!" _'If you had just stolen a deer like I wanted you to you wouldn't be in this mess either!'_ "What _**mess**_ could that be?" he asked finally able to bring up yesterday's incident. She spilled her guts…

"I can't buy a pack animal because I have no money so I can't move my wagon away _**sooo**_ the stupid police are gonna take my wagon because I'm _**squatting**_ on government land, and before you say it! I can't get a job in the village because they all hate my entire clan!"

"Hmm. I guess that's a bit of a struggle… But did you look everywhere?" he asked her.

"What?" she asked out of breath.

"I'm sure that there might be one or two people in the village who don't hate you, and you might be forced to have to stay here, so instead of worrying about that tiny wagon maybe you should look into an apartment."

"No…" she said quietly, "I don't want to…" She looked into his brown eyes her own filled with some emotion he couldn't place, but somehow he knew what she meant.

"If you don't want to leave, then you'll have to ask for permission to stay."

"Who do I ask?" she said even quieter than before.

"My dad." Her eyes widened in realizing that he was next in line for head of house. "Or my mom, she pretty much has a say in everything." He added sarcastically. Mesuko sighed heavily, it still seemed hopeless. "You could always rejoin your clan next year…"

"No." the thought of not having a family, or something that moderately resembled a friend, for a year frightened her more than anything she had ever faced, to be utterly alone and unwanted… "I'll stay till I can afford an animal, _**any**_ animal, then I'm leaving!"

"What will you do in winter? Does that wagon even have a stove?"

"Then I guess I should start looking right away!" she argued.

"Look I know you're scared but-!"

"I'm not scared! You have no idea-!"

"You're terrified!" he shouted, _'I'm a god damn ninja I know when someone's scared and right now you feel cornered and you think no will help because of who you are but if you would stop being so afraid and just look around you, you'll see that there is always someone who would try to help!'_ He didn't know why but he suddenly couldn't say that out loud, his throat was frozen, but he was sure he would regret it later…

"I swear you think you know everything!" she said angrily.

"I do know everything!" _'Well I said that just fine… great.' _

"Well then why don't you just predict my foot up your ass cause if you say one more thing that's what's gonna happen!" She turned on heel and began stomping back to her wagon.

'_I was so close…'_ he thought watching her walk away.

* * *

><p>It was early morning before Shikamaru made it home, his father was in the kitchen reading the news, his mother would most likely be up soon. "Hey dad…"<p>

"Hmm?" his father flipped down the paper to look at his son.

* * *

><p>Mesuko stomped around her wagon kicking the sides as she walked around, <em>'Why is he right?!'<em> "Why is he right?!" she repeated out loud, "How can someone know me so well and barely know my name! I don't think he's ever even called me by my name! Jerk. What's his deal?" She slammed open the door violently, "I'm not going to the village!" she said to no one, "And I'm not gonna walk by _**your**_ house today!" she pointed in the direction of Shikamaru's home. "I'm just…. Not going to do anything…" Her body fell to the soft grass and she stared up whimsically to the clouds, attempting to banish Shikamaru's lesson from her mind.

* * *

><p>Shikamaru was on his way to Choji's house when he saw Neji going into Yamanaka Flowers, when he heard him say hello to Ino he found himself quite intrigued… "Hey guys…" he said casually leaning against the door frame.<p>

"Hi Shikamaru." Ino greeted him cheerfully.

"Shikamaru, I need a favor." Neji said to him.

* * *

><p>^^

* * *

><p>Neji was walking down the pathway that lead out of the village, when he came upon a small gorge outside the Nara forest he spotted a small wagon, he didn't need to look very hard to find Mesuko she was laying in the grass a few feet away from the wagon. However instead of walking over to her he appeared right at her feet causing her to scream and jump away from him.<p>

"You're too slow." Neji said strictly, "You're going to have to be a lot faster than that."

"What?" she asked slightly dumbfounded, "Why do I need to be fast?"

"If you want to fight me of course."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" She raised her hands defensively, "I-I don't want to fight anybody!"

"Ready yourself!"

"What!?" she yelled. But Neji only lunged at her, when she tried to block him putting up both arms he weaved his hand right through a gap punching her in the gut. Mesuko tumbled to the ground clutching her stomach wincing from the sharp pain.

"That won't do. Get Up." He said with an authoritative tone. When she climbed up she took two steps back.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked slightly frightened.

"Get ready." He said.

"Wait!" he shot out his hands and she tried to doge this time to his left but he twirled on his hoot and kicked her in the same spot again. She was sent a few feet away this time rolling through the dirt.

"Get Up!" He yelled at her again. She tried to stand but her legs were shaky from the pain in her, now bruised, stomach area. "On your feet Mesuko." Neji lunged at her with his right hand extended outward aiming for her stomach with pointed fingers, this time she went to block only her stomach area but instead of hitting her there his fingers hit her right shoulder and her brought his knee up and slammed it against her abdomen sending her crashing into the side of her wagon as Neji berated her with two more kicks. She tumbled to the ground and her eyes stung with tears.

"Why?!" she screamed.

"Show me what you can do." He said. She said nothing because talking hurt but only looked at him quizzically, "That mark, I want to see what it does, and you are going to show me." He said with a powerful tone.

"When did you see it?" she asked quietly.

"I can see a lot of things, I can see your chakra points," his eyes became strained and the veins on his temple protruded from the strain of sending chakra to them. "That mark is filled with chakra and I want to see what you are capable of." His stare sent chills through her body, he was looking right through her and she could feel it.

"I- I don't know either… I'm not a warrior…"

"Obviously. That's why I'm trying to train you, today I was only seeing what you can do. Tomorrow the real thing begins." He said that and began to walk away.

"Wait! What do I get out of this?" she asked him.

"Don't you want to learn too?"

"Yes… But I have more important things to worry about right now." He turned and faced her.

"I'll think of a way to help, and tomorrow we'll make a deal." After that he disappeared in a blurry escape.

'_Yeah sure…'_ Mesuko laid on the ground for a very long time before ambling to her feet. "I still need to find a job… I suppose I could head to town." After trying to take a few steps her whole body ached, "You gotta be kidding me… please don't tell me that life will be like this from now on… ughhh." She groaned.

* * *

><p>When Mesuko had entered the large village she headed straight for the market district, becoming entirely overwhelmed she had no idea where to start. Her thoughts traveled to Ino after helping her before maybe she could send her in the right direction again. She headed for the flower shop once more.<p>

"He-Hello?" she found herself suddenly nervous. _'Is it rude of me to ask for help again?' _

"Well hi there!" Ino said, still cheerful. "Come in please."

"Hi, uh, Ino… I was… wondering, do you know of any shops who might be looking for… an employee…. Or something."

"Hmmm." She put her finger to her chin, "Well… we could use some help around here if you're interested." Ino smiled widely at her.

"Wait! Really? You mean it?!" Mesuko was in shock, what was the chance that the first place she went to wanted to hire her!

"Yeah!" she said coming out from behind the counter, "Come here I'll show you around."

* * *

><p>Mesuko was on her way home, Ino had let her work today and she had made her a lunch, her step was filled with hope as things seemed to finally be turning around. It was evening now and she was only half way home when her thoughts wandered to Shikamaru. <em>'I should apologize… He was right after all…'<em> As if reading her mind said ninja was heading in her direction. _'Damn it all! I didn't mean right now!'_ She thought about turning around and pretending like she hadn't seen him coming right at her… "Oh yay…" she said with a sarcastically grim tone.

"Oh so you think I'm happy to see you after this morning." He said while slightly glaring at her.

"Look about this morning-."

"Save it. I really don't care." He said in an uninterested tone, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Look I wanted to ap-!"

"I said I don't care!" he brushed past her swiftly. "I don't need your apology, besides I know just how proud of a person you are so don't think I'm fooled by your little act to get me on your side."

"What did you say?!" she shouted at him! He faced her with venom in his stare.

"I'm not ganna give you what you want just because you're being nice now. You made it pretty clear you don't want to make friends so why try?" He turned on his heel and briskly walked away leaving her in the dust angry and puzzled.

"Fine if that's the way he wants it, I don't care!" she tried to walk away just as quickly but awkwardly limped from all the pain in her stomach, "Jerk hole, ass- piece of crap under my foot…" she stopped for a moment, "That was _**the worst**_ comeback ever… Ughh… hate you." On her way home it had started to drizzle, and by the time she made it home the rain was pouring down hard. Drenched and cold she huddled under the blankets for warmth but soon drifted off to sleep, a long day was ahead of her and she didn't even know it yet…


	6. Listen With Your Heart

Listen With Your Heart

(Chapter title song from Pocahontas ;) just in case homies!)

Shikamaru sat in his bed, his alarm clock just went off and he was already over the entire day. The rain hadn't stopped since last night and it didn't look like it was going to, and worse it was cold outside because there was no sun and nothing to stop autumn from coming now… "What a drag…"

* * *

><p>Mesuko looked outside the tiny window in her wagon, she had been forced to put up a rain tarp or else the roof would leak from all the water… She was starting to wonder if Neji was still going to come and train her… Her bruises from yesterday were already healed, in fact there was no pain at all, which was an entirely new experience for her. Before she knew it someone was already knocking on her door.<p>

"Come on! Get up it's time to go!"

'_Oh yay… it's Neji… if I ignore him will he go away?'_

"Mesuko I can see you!"

"Ughhhhh!" she groaned, "It's raining go away!"

"Were going somewhere it's not raining! Now let's go!" he opened the door without being let in. "And put on pants, you can't expect to fight in a skirt like that." She sighed and motioned for him to leave.

Neji lead her to a spacious training field, outside the village with lots of trees and a large river.

"I thought you said it would be inside?"

"I never said inside. I said it wouldn't be raining. And I lied."

"Well it's raining, and I'm already soaked… so."

"You're not leaving."

"Why not?" she asked.

"Do you want to become stronger?"

"I… maybe." She said.

"Then I'll help you. But it wont be easy."

"It never is…" she sighed, the rain hadn't stopped and the two of them were officially drenched.

"Today you are learning about chakra and how to control it." He smiled at her, but she couldn't help but feel like it was a 'pain-is-on-the-way' smile. He explained into great detail the yin and yang of chakra and hand signals and how to focus chakra to different parts of the body.

"Okay I get it and all but… why are we in the rain?"

"Because instead of learning how to climb trees first, I want you to walk on water."

"But that's easy." She said quickly.

"What?" he asked her with a quizzical expression.

"I can walk on water, and climb trees."

"Show me then." Mesuko didn't make a hand signal or act like she was focusing her chakra, instead thick black markings began to spread over her body where her skin showed. Neji activated his Byakugan to watch the tattoos spread. And sure enough when she stepped onto the water instead of sinking she stood on the top, and she ran forward straight for a tree and climbed straight up it! "How do you not know about chakra and yet you can already wield it like a genin?"

"Well…" she said returning to him, "I wasn't really taught about chakra, but I was told about my heart."

"Your what?" he asked intrigued.

"My heart, the Majo tells us that if we listen to our heart we can focus our spirit to help lead us through obstacles… so that's how I learned to do that." She gestured to the lake.

"What you think is your spirit is only your chakra, that's what these markings are, this tattoo of yours is a reservoir of chakra, and when you need it, it spreads over your body to supply you with chakra."

"Ok." She pretty much understood that…

"If you grow stronger then your body wouldn't need to rely on that tattoo so much, so from now on we are going to focus on taijutsu and meditation until you have a buildup of chakra at your disposal."

"It… I get what you're saying Neji, but what good will any of this do me?"

"For one, you won't be helpless against anyone who aims to hurt you." Shocked at what he said she hadn't realized that someone would actually want to hurt her, and yet just the other day Lee had almost put her in a coma…

"Right…" she looked into his grey orbs, "Why are you helping me?" she asked with upmost seriousness.

"I-I… just wanted to learn more about your clan, there is so much left to rumor there are hardly any facts out your clans talents."

"Oh I see." She smiled, "I guess we're both learning then." Her smile seemed to brighten her entire face and it made him feel… happy, that he was helping her.

"Well then," he cleared his throat, "We will begin with building your body strength. It's time for pushups."

"What! In the rain!" she argued.

"There is never a good excuse, you are only looking for a way to make this training easier, now get on your hands your starting with one-hundred."

"Ughhhh…." She fell to the mud… and started the ruthless training…

Mesuko had barely made it to thirty pushups before falling then Neji was yelling at her to start over. "You won't be leaving till you complete a hundred in a row." He said callously.

* * *

><p>'<em>Almost there!'<em> "Eighty nine….." she pushed with all her might, her arms burning with more pain than she had ever felt in her entire life, _'I'm so close! Only a few more and…_.' The rain poured down on her but it didn't stop her from sweating, water spilled over her face in droplets and her hair was thick with mud that clung to her face, her body was damp and muddy she was covered in dirt from constantly falling back into the puddle that was just under her. "ninety… three" she started crying, feeling her knees buckle she was too close to let it slip away. "ninety nine…" she sobbed out _'just one more.'_ She was not about to restart after everything. "one hun…." She didn't get in the last 'dred', but fell full into the puddle after pushing herself all the way up. "I-… I did… it. I did it I got to 100…" she breathed, everything ached but nothing more than her arms and she was cramping like hell and didn't even want to move them after all that. "Don't touch me though man, I can't…" she was completely out of breath and never been so thankful to be laying in a puddle of mud on a rainy, dreary, grey day.

"I knew you would make it, eventually…" Neji said, he was sitting in a tree a good deal away and she couldn't hear him from that distance, when she opened her eyes and didn't see him he jumped down from his perch and helped her out of the mud. "Come on, I suppose I'll go easy on you for today, let's get you to a bath." To be frank he was surprised at just how dirty she was. Her entire front was covered in mud and the ends of her hair were dipped into it as well as half her face. "Tomorrow won't be as easy, rain or no rain." He warned her.

"Okay… tomorrow… sure, but after work right?" she asked him.

"Work?" he asked her raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah at the flower shop, Ino gave me job." She said happily smiling and nudging his elbow.

"Well, good for you, I suppose this means you're going to stick around?"

"Huh? No way!" she said, "I can't stay, I have to get back to my clan I'm supposed to be the next Majo, this year is very crucial to my training."

"I see. How will you find them?" She thought for a while about this but then remembering what the Majo usually does.

"I'll listen to my heart," she smiled proudly at him, "If I just listen it'll guide me back to my family."

"You seem… very confident of that." He smirked.

"I am." She put her hands out in the rain, "I know that I can find them, even though I don't always get along with everyone and I'm a little unusual compared to them but they're my family and I don't want to be separated from them. Besides, I don't want a home just for me, what is a home with no one to share it with?" she wore a smile but her eyes had a faraway look and she was lost in a day dream.

"My house is this way." He lead her to the Hyuga family estate, where she went inside a very large house, in the center was a large dojo style courtyard, empty but big enough to train a lot of people at one time.

"Whoa, this is the biggest house I've ever been in…" she smirked, "Does it have a pool too?" she laughed.

"No but there's a pond out back in the garden." He knew she was joking but he wanted to throw her off guard with his own remarks.

"You have a garden? Is it big? Are there a lot of flowers?"

"You like gardens I take it?"

"I like all plants, or well… I like all nature, I guess." She started to feel a little self conscious, was it weird to like gardens?

"I guess working at a flower shop would be the perfect job for you then." He smiled, picturing her wander around picking up all the flowers she liked instead of working. When they reached a small hallway he opened a door to a room that had a small living space and two other doors. "The bathroom is the door straight back, I'll find some cloths for you to change into."

"I… uhhmmm. Thank you."

"Hm?" he looked at her questioningly.

"For being so kind to me."

"You think training you like this is kind?" he chuckled.

"No! I- I mean." She stuttered out trying to think of how to say something.

"Its fine. I know what you mean." He laughed, "And, it is fine, I understand how you feel, or at least I understand a little." He turned to walk away again but looked back once more, "You will always find someone here who is willing to help you, and maybe even think of you as a friend after time."

Mesuko entered the bathroom looking at the toilet, and tub, "Cool."

* * *

><p>"Mesuko," Neji knocked on the bathroom door, "I have some cloths for you, they should fit, you're about the same size as my cousin so…" he trailed off holding a pair of Hinata's pants and a tan shirt.<p>

"Okay, thank you…"

"I'll be just outside, we can head to the kitchen for some dinner."

"Dinner?" she said "What time is it?"

"Yes you took all day to do one hundred pushups…" he skipped the bullshit and just deadpanned it to her. He heard her chuckle nervously behind the door. "I'll be in the hall."

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you don't want to stay?" Neji asked Mesuko after dinner, she was standing at the entryway to the house.<p>

"I'm sure, thank you so much for your hospitality." She bowed lowly to him.

"There is no need to be so formal, I'll come by the shop tomorrow to take you to the next training ground."

"Oh yay…" she said sarcastically.

"I hope you're ready for it."

"Yeah me too…" they exchanged smiles and she took off running through the rain again, her muddy cloths in a paper bag.

By the time Mesuko reached her wagon once more it was almost dark out, the tarp, thankfully had stayed in place the whole day, even though it was still raining fairly roughly. She was wet again and just as she was going to change into new dry cloths she heard a loud cracking noise making her jump. When she looked out the window she saw no signs of trouble. "Is… there someone outside maybe?" just when she reached out her had to grab the knob of the door a frightening sound reached her ears making her heart stop in sheer fear, the sound of falling rocks and tumbling dirt. Before Mesuko even had a chance to open the door her wagon was sent crashing to its side sending Mesuko bumping around like rag doll. When she reached for the door once more it wouldn't budge… she pushed as hard as she could but the door was trapped against a heaping pile of mud and rocks. Her wagon was now trapped under a landslide… The echoing sound of dirt sliding over her wagon was loud enough to make her cover her ears.

* * *

><p>"Shikamaru!" his mother called out to the sleepy boy after they had finished dinner.<p>

"What?" he asked with a new level of indifference.

"We have enough leftovers to feed two more people…" she said.

"And?" he said, still not giving a damn.

"Take some to that Akusho girl." She demanded with light tone, that she was well aware that would piss him off.

"What?! But its raining! Dad!" he looked to his father to bail him out of it.

"Listen to your mother son." Shikaku said with an even better nonchalant tone than Shikamaru's.

"What? Ughhhhh! Fine but don't expect me to stay and chat!"

"Keep up that tone and I'll make you bring her food every night!"

"UGH! Whatever stop being such a drag woman!"

"Shikamaru don't talk to your mom that way." His father said giving him a stern out of the norm' look. Shikamaru only shrugged and jerked the food out of her hands.

"Whatever…" he stomped out into the rain and ran off to her wagon.

* * *

><p>Mesuko panicking punched at the window, it might be small but it was large enough for her to possibly squeeze through it, and hopefully the landslide wasn't as tall as it was long, she could tell by the sound the mud on top was thin and might be able to climb out of it. Although after getting the window open finally, mud came pouring in think and quick after so much rain slamming her against the cabinets! "Ahhh!" she started to panic more now that her wagon was filling up quickly with watery mud. "Help!" she screamed, but she knew no one would hear her…<p>

* * *

><p>Shikamaru was running fast through the forest, "The hell am I supposed to say?" he thought angrily remembering what he had said last night, ", <em>'Here, it's not a piece offering or anything,'<em> no, no, _'my mom made me bring you these'_, no that's not good either, ugghh what a pain, maybe I'll just be like _'here bitch eat the food'_ Man what a drag!"

He heard this strange noise and it made him stop under the shade of a tree, "What the hell is that sound?" he took off again running faster this time, when he came into the clearing he dropped the food in utter shock, a landslide large enough to practically level the gorge had completely covered the space, and in that ugly mess somewhere was Mesuko's wagon. "Oh no that is not good! Mesuko!" he yelled as loudly as he could, "Where are you!" his eyes scanned the muddy terrain for any trace of a wagon, he jumped onto a large fallen tree branch "Damn it where are you!?" he called out again, just when he was going to search farther down the gorge he saw a place where the mud was practically funneling into an empty space, "That has to be it!" he jumped blindly into the mud landing on something hard and hollow just underneath the flowing mud, "Mesuko!" he shouted but he didn't know if she could hear him or not, or if in fact it was the wagon at all, he only had hope that it was.

When Shikamaru stuck his hands into the opening he traced the sides hoping to feel something that would identify what he was dealing with, his heart jumped when his hands felt slender fingers no doubt gripping for their life onto what he now assumed to be the window. He trailed his hands down her arms and jerked her up as fast as he could, Mesuko's head poked out of the window followed by her waist, but suddenly stopping at her hips… "Shikamaru!" she cried in relief and fear and through heavy tears, "Shikamaru..!" she cried wincing as he tried to tug her out of the wagon.

"Put your hands around my neck! This isn't gonna feel good." He warned her as he started to pull her they both heard something that made them freeze in fear, up the mountain they heard a massive cracking sound followed by swift tumbling and more cracking sounds, "Come on come on!" he shouted pulling her as hard as he could without snapping her in two.

"Ahhhhh!" she shouted as she could feel her skin tearing a little from the wood, he joined her shouts of pain as the gigantic landslide was racing towards the pair of them. He let her fall a little before harshly pulling her out the window. "Ahhhhhhhhh!" she screamed in pain as her body came loose from the wagon as Shikamaru was starting to fall backwards he turned on his heel jumping out of the space farther and faster than he ever had in his life she clutched his neck and shoulders and he cradled her body against his chest, Mesuko watched as the valley was swallowed up along with her wagon and the very last of everything she owned. Not even her clothing was with her now, and she had lost Hinata's pants… Shikamaru raced through the trees back to his house running so quickly that rain felt like hail when it hit the pair of them, stopping at his door he opened it with a kick of his foot.

"I thought you said you wouldn't stay and chat." His dad snidely said.

"Mom!" he yelled out of breath, his dad, worried from the panic in his sons voice came to see the commotion, only to find that the two of them where covered in mud, and small trembling girl clinging for her life onto his only son. He was lucky however that she was completely blacked out by the mud because she had no pants on save for her panties… Scratching marks and blood were around her tender hips and it was obvious what had happened to said pants.

"Landslide?" his father asked relieved that his son was alright.

"Yeah… the wagons gone…" His mother quickly came into view and after seeing Mesuko she rushed Shikamaru up to the restroom with her. Shikamaru set her in the tub cloths and all and his mother began to pet her head tenderly motioning for him to leave.

"There, there dear." She said washing Mesuko's face, the girl was in a state of shock and Yoshino slowly coaxed her out of it. "Alright, go ahead and wash up, I'll get you some cloths."

Shikamaru was waiting for his mother outside the bathroom, "Well?" he asked her a little less panicked now.

"She's fine. Just shaken up give her some space, use our restroom to clean up, I'm giving her some of your clothing to wear."

"Fine…" he said walking away towards his parents bathroom.

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><p>Please review! Do it now!<p> 


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